Loughborough Dynamo came out on top in this Loughborough Charity Cup first round encounter with Hathern FC at the NSG, coming from behind with two late goals to run out 5-4 winners.

Hathern, members of the Everards Championship Division in the Leicestershire Senior League, can feel disappointed at not progressing further in this cup, as they were the better side at times during the game.

It was Hathern who first had a shot on goal when Ryan Page hit a free kick from just outside the Dynamo penalty area straight at Dynamo goalkeeper Jack Woolley in the fourth minute.

Sixty seconds later Sam Thorpe saw his shot saved by Hathern goalkeeper Adey Snewin, but Snewin was beaten in the 20th minute when Danny Durkin was fed by Lavell White on the right side of the Hathern penalty area. Durkin’s low shot from an angle gave Dynamo the lead.

Hathern continued to take the game to Dynamo, and drew level in the 25h minute when the ball ricocheted around the home penalty area, and an unmarked Chris Walker picked up the ball on the left side of the penalty area and scored.

Dynamo restored their lead in the 32nd minute, the ball was driven in low from the Dynamo right, Dynamo number 9 Ash Hodgkinson turning home. Hodgkinson threatened to draw Dynamo away form Hathern, but his low shot was well saved by Snewin in the 38th minute. Hathern then pulled level once again three minutes when Tolley hesitated as the ball was knocked into the Dynamo area, Page benefitting and prodded the ball home.

When it looked as if the two sides would go into the half time break level, Durkin struck again. In the 44h minute the Dynamo number 7 cut into the Hathern area and his shot defeated Snewin to give Dynamo a 3-2 interval lead.

Hathern changed their goalkeepers at the start of the second half, Dan Owen replacing Snewin. Seven minutes into the half Dynamo made all three substitute changes together, Karl Demidh, Louis Keenan and Roger Lee being introduced. A minute after the Dynamo substitutions Hathern drew level once again. Dynamo failed to clear the ball from a Hathern corner and number 9 Ben Taylor turned the loose ball home.

Sam Thorpe cut in from the right in the 69th minute but his shot went straight at Owen. Keenan and Demidh started to threaten the Hathern defence, and three minutes later Keenan’s shot from a free kick took a deflection and hit Owen’s left hand post. Keenan’s pass then put Demidh clear, but a fine tackle by a Hathern defender rescued the situation.

Hathern then took the lead for the first time in the match in the 75h minute when a ball in from the Hathern left was not cleared by goalkeeper or defenders, Ryan Langdon turned the loose ball into an empty net to give the visitors a 4-3 lead. Two minutes later Demidh again broke clear and a fine tackle by Walker rescued Hathern. This was followed by a good ball into the Hathern area seized by Owen at the second time of asking.

In the closing minutes of the game Dynamo finally began to assert themselves and, after Hathern conceded a free kick on the edge of their penalty area in the 85h minute, Dynamo drew level. A fine shot by Demidh direct from the free kick saw the ball go over the Hathern defensive wall and beat Owen to his left.

Dynamo continued to press and just when it looked as if the game would remain level and go to a penalty shootout Demidh snatched the winner. In the 90th minute the ball was delivered into the Hathern area and ran loose, Demidh reached it first and prodded home to give Dynamo a 5-4 win.